Adamant King, Indomitable Slave
by SonadowStories
Summary: Sonic is a prince hiding behind the low status of a farmer to hide his real identity after he had to run from his own palace together with a few friends. One day a slave by the name of Shadow stumbles upon their property and passes out. Sonic stubbornly wants Shadow to stay and be the newest addition to their family and maybe even something more. SONADOW, SHADOW UKE, MPREG.
1. Chapter 1

**Adamant King, Indomitable Slave: Chapter 1**

 **Sonic's POV**

There was a storm brewing tonight. Despites the warm Summer weather with its near cloudless blue sky, I could just somehow tell and I can't help but be worried. Standing here on the back porch of the farmhouse, I look over at our crops on one side and cattle on the other as I leant against one of the narrow beams holding the roof up above my head.

The latter has been skittish lately, further proving my point.

I heard footsteps behind me, but I didn't turn to see who it was as I had a pretty good hunch of who they belonged to.

"You look worried." A red echidna by the name of Knuckles joined me here on the porch, leaning against the other beam near the steps. One of his dark purple eyes was missing and was instead covered up by an eyepatch underneath that cowboyish hat of his.

"I get this feeling that a storm is coming. Maybe tonight, maybe some other day, I don't know. I'm just worried that it could ruin our crops. I don't want a repeat of last time." I admitted my worries to the other, who huffed as his arms crossed in front of his chest.

As he looked over our property too, I could see a glimpse of concern clear in his eyes too.

"That could prove to be problematic." He stated, deep in thought.

Last year most of our crops were destroyed by heavy rainfal and that cost us a great deal of money.

If we need to go through another year of eating leftovers from our leftovers because we could barely buy any food to feed ourselves, than I don't know what will happen.

We can't afford to make many more mistakes. If authorities start coming and knocking on our door because we're late with taxes or whatever, we might draw some unwanted attention.

I'd hate to bring anyone living on this farm in danger just because of one storm.

Catching something pink in the corners of my eyes, I see a hedgehog of that bright colour by the name of Amy tending to the horses, combing the mane of one of them.

At the young age of 18, she was four years younger than me. I would hate to have something happen to her. Not after all we've been through, the four of us.

"Sonic." Knuckles caught my attention again and I turned my head to gaze back at him.

"We'll survive. With or without the money we earn from the crops." He reassured me with that usual headstrong glint ever present.

A smile returned on my face and I looked back up to the slowly orange tainted sky, the sun already just starting to set as it was very late in the afternoon.

I guess only time will tell weither or not we'll make it again. But should something happen to bring our very way of living in danger again, than I'm sure we'll pull through. Just like we've done numerous times before.

* * *

Once everything on the farm had been taken care off for the day, we retreated back inside and pretty much watched tv for the rest of the evening as we all sat on the couch.

Amy, curled up underneath a blanket on an armchair, and I were picking apart and predicting the clichés of this one soap we had come across. Meanwhile Knuckles just sat on the same couch as me except at the other end, but he was ignoring our near bickering and laughter and simply watched the show.

Girlfriend and boyfriend, other girl flirting with the guy, him completely falling for it, things get heated, and the girlfriend walks in on them. That was as classic as it could get and they always get caught in every soap!

It was almost like all of these shows were written by the same person but under different names.

"You two can laugh and complain all you want, but you're just as bad as them. You repeat yourself with every soap we come across." Knuckles suddenly stated, chuckling in amusement.

"We do not!" Amy quickly retorted, though she knew that was true. Her foresty green eyes glinted in slight embarrassment.

"Can you blame us? They hardly give us new material to work with!" I chuckled, tearing my attention away from the screen to look at the older mobian.

Though there was only an age difference of four years between Amy and I, I was 22, Knuckles was considerably older at the age of 35. And he acted like it too! The pink one and I, we were sorta acting like kids compared to him. It wouldn't be the first time we had driven him insane because of that.

"You could do something more useful. Like read a book once in a while or something. It might crank your IQ up a little." He stated, smirking.

This time it was me who huffed.

"Read a book? What's up with you? Grumpy that the missus is away from home for the next couple of days?" I asked as a tease, returning the smirk he had given me.

And with the missus I'm referring to the crimson echidna's wife.

She was also a mobian, but she wasn't an echidna. Instead she was a bat, one as white as snow and with clear teal blue eyes. Her name was Rouge and she would be gone for the next few days.

The white bat had told us that she wanted to visit her parents in a neighbouring country, but if that was true...

Anyway, the laughter died down a little when we noticed something in the background.

It was raining.

"Shit." I could hear Knuckles grumble as he shot up from the couch and walked to the back of the house. Amy and I quickly followed him to take a look out through the window too.

The older mobian almost ripped the door from its hinches in his hurry to get on the back porch and a chilly gust of a wind came rushing in.

The rain poured down in whole gallons and the wind howled outside. Soon enough, lightning was the only light that pierced the darkness outside.

That warm Summer weather had suddenly made a U-turn and the storm I feared had come and it was a very heavy one too.

Our crop for this year, it had been the best one yet. Losing this would be such a devastating loss for us. I had to see if there wasn't anything more I could do to save it.

So against my better judgement, I ran outside into the hazardous weather, ignoring the others calling my name and telling me to come back. I didn't listen as I was much to anxious to make sure I had exhausted all of my options to keep my crops safe.

My clothes, my fur, ... I was soaking wet to the bone in a matter of seconds as I sprinted to our corn as fast as the rushing wind allowed me to go. The lightning flashed and thunder boomed, but fortunatly the forest in the distance drew most of its attention.

I reached the field of corn and tried to find a way to save the very thing that kept us afloat.

I should've studied better, I should've learned more about farming, should've taken a lesson from the rainfall last year. Maybe than I could've known what to do because now I'm clueless.

Suddenly a heavy hand fell on my shoulder.

"Sonic, you idiot! You think that lightning is just for show?! We should get back inside!" Knuckles needed to yell in order to be heard above the loud storm.

"And lose everything again?! I can't allow that!" I had to raise my voice too. I stubbornly stayed put when Knuckles tried to pull me back towards the house.

"I'm not going, Knuckles! I'm gonna make sure we'll be safe until next year first!" I shouted and when I was refusing to come back with him, the echidna growled in anger.

"Listen here, Your Majesty. As long as you're alive, we haven't lost a thing! What's the use in risking your life for a couple of plants? Get less addicted to wifi and we'll be just fine!" The man had always been a force to reckon with and as he looked down on me in absolute anger, I actually had to take a step back and stare up at him in shock.

"Stop using that against me." I said, undoubtedly inaudible and tore myself out of his grip.

"Sonic. Sonic!" I ignored Knuckles as I ran away from him, still trying to think of a solution.

There probably will be hell to pay when I do go back into the house, but that had to wait. There were more important matters to take care off right now.

But it was when I reached the last field that I noticed something strange.

Approaching the narrow border between our corn and the wide, dense forest, I noticed a dark form, a black hedgehog, lying on the ground flat on its front. Whoever they were, they were knocked out and shivering from the freezing cold caused by the wind and rain. They wore nothing but what looked like a ruined robe or coat. He or she was covered in dirt and grime and was soaked to the bone.

How long as this person been out here on our property lying face down in the mud? Seconds? Minutes? Hours?! Either way, we had to bring him inside.

Exhaustion plagued the form, but I did see movement as its eyes opened halfway and lifted its head to look up to me, attempting to push themselves up, but just didn't have the strength to go any farther than on all fours. He looked like a guy.

He had deep red eyes, I found myself unable to tear away from them.

One hand reached for me.

"Please... Just... one night." The voice was a smooth one and soft because of the noise going on. I had to strain to hear what he was saying.

"Hey... Hey, stay with me!" As I went to my knees in front of him and placed my hands on his shoulder, I noticed that his strength was failing him again, his trembling arms unable to keep him up any longer.

He couldn't answer or repeat himself as he lost consciousness again. So I was left to hold him up and keep him from possibly drowning in that pool of mud.

Didn't matter if he could answer whatever questions I might have, he was cold, wet, pretty much naked, and alone. I had to take him in, I couldn't leave him out here in the rain.

"Sonic, what're you doing?" Knuckles asked as he finally found me in this pitch black darkness. A flash of lightning quickly showed him the figure resting his head on my lap.

"Who the hell is that?" He asked, looking down on the stranger.

Instead of answering him, I hurried to pick the hedgehog up in my arms, the person groaning weakly, and raced back to the farmhouse where he would be warm.


	2. Chapter 2

**Adamant King, Indomitable Slave: Chapter 2**

 **Sonic's POV**

I brought the dark stranger inside and out of the rain and freezing wind to bring him to my personal bedroom, the first place I thought off. We received a surprised stare from Amy, but I paid her no heed as I hurried up the stairs.

In my bedroom, I placed the figure on the covers, pretty much immediatly soaking them where he lied.

Amy, as helpful as ever once she had composed herself, grabbed a bunch of towels and two washing cloths from the bathroom while I removed the coat and heated up a bowl with warm water.

"Where did you find this guy?" Amy asked, covering him down there to make him slightly more decent.

Didn't keep me from noticing something weird, though.

Ignoring that he was pretty much naked now, the girl and I went to work on cleaning his fur of mud to uncover possible wounds and maybe even keep him from growing sick.

"He was just lying on the ground outside. I think he must've been through some stuff." I replied and noticed dirt make way for black fur, red streaks appeared on arms, legs and quills, and the grey tuft of fur on his chest grew white.

"He was?" Amy muttered, just as confused by this turn of events as I was.

Soon enough, instead of a wet and dirty hedgehog lied now a, still, equally wet but admittedly exotic specimen of a mobian.

His body itself was sorta hard to describe. It was lean, but it wasn't male or female. It was sorta androgynous. Slight curves, but not enough to call him a very flatchested young woman. It was kind of hard to take my eyes off of him.

Now that he was clean, Amy and I worked to dry him with the towels she had brought along. The pink hedgehog had insisted that I let her do it, but I refused to let her do this on her own. I needed to make sure the strange hedgehog would be okay.

Once he was both clean and dry, Amy got him some spare clothing for him to borrow for the night in the form of a lose dark red shirt and dark blue shorts to sleep in and I pulled the covers away to let him rest on the mattress of the bed while I got a dry, thick blanket to cover him, the previous covers now too wet because of the soaked figure that had been lying on top.

But he was finally taken care off, at least for now, and so we let him sleep. I was reluctant to leave him alone. It looked like he was still shivering even with the warm blanket covering him.

"Sonic, we should let him rest in peace." Amy told me and grabbed my upper arm to pull me away from the hedgehog's side and I reluctantly followed her back down the stairs.

As I made my way down the stairs and into the kitchen, wanting to grab myself something to drink from the fridge, I grabbed a can and felt a pair of eyes glaring at my back. Turning to return the gaze to their owner, the crimson echidna now sat at the table with a stern look.

"What did I do wrong?" I asked with a sigh and opened the can.

"That hedgehog. Why did you bring him here? How do you know for sure that he's not the enemy?" Knuckles asked, a bit of a growl evident in his voice as he spoke.

"I guess we'll find out." I simply shrugged and took a chug from my can, which definitely didn't sit well with him and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

But then both of our attention was drawn by a certain pink hedgehog as she stood in the doorway, glancing quietly from me to Knuckles and back.

I knew that kinda behaviour because they've been doing it for aslong as we've been here.

They were keeping secrets.

"Fine." I sighed, annoyed for once, and left the kitchen. I can only wonder what that was all about because they're never gonna talk to me unless they want me to know.

I guess I can only wait and see.

In the living room I settled on the couch again with my can of soda still in hand. It wasn't the smartest move to drink something with so much sugar now that it was nearly midnight, but I felt like I wasn't gonna be able to get much sleep tonight anyway.

Forgetting about the secrets being discussed in the kitchen right now, my thoughts drifted back towards the hedgehog sleeping in my bed.

Where had he come from? Why did he wear nothing but that coat? Why had he come to our farm? Could he be the enemy like Knuckles suspected?

None of my countless questions were getting an answer for now and I was admittedly a little impatient.

Heh, that wasn't such a good trait for someone like me to have.

"Sonic?" After finishing up my drink, I looked up to see Amy standing there.

Seems like, whatever she wanted to talk to Knuckles about earlier, she wanted to tell me too.

"What's up?" I asked and she settled on the armchair again while Knuckles simply stood in the living room.

"Amy spotted something on his right thigh while the two of you were taking care of him. She found numbers, a brand." The echidna said, arms crossing in front of his chest.

"A brand?" I asked in shock. A series of numbers branded into a person's thigh... Does that mean he could be a slave? One who escaped?

"Yes, it read '1503'. That must be his serial number as slave, though I thought those methods weren't being used anymore." Amy spoke, her ears bend back as she could feel her stomach churn at the very thought of that brand.

"With our current king, I'd be more surprised if they didn't." Knuckles stated and I think I can see what he means.

Our king, the one sitting on the throne right now, was none other than a green hedgehog named Scourge. He was sadistic and cruel in every sense of the word with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. If a slave were to get branded, he'd be getting a front row seat if he wanted to.

But to make matters worse, he was also my own older brother. That was why Knuckles sometimes called me 'Your Majesty' whenever he was pissed off.

"What kind of a slave do you think he was?" Amy asked the question we had all been thinking but didn't want to say out loud.

"Well, he had no clothes on his person, did he? That should answer our question." Knuckles was the only one who could bring himself to answer, though it wasn't one we wanted to hear.

That coat was probably stolen on his way out of where ever he lived with his owner, so it wasn't his. And with that strangely androgynous body, those colours of his fur, and his rare eye colour, I think it wouldn't be all that farfetched to have some pervert desire him that way.

The slavermarket... It was very... extensive.

Ever since Scourge came to rule the country exactly eight years ago, that brand of market has practically been legalised again and so it has grown considerably over the last few years.

When you actually see the face of one of the victims of my own brother's rule... I just can't help but feel an overwhelming guilt.

I've been living on this farm, avoiding Scourge and my duties. Should I do something?

"I'm tired. So I think I'll check up on our guest and turn in for the night." Amy broke the silence and bid us goodnight before she walked out of the living room and soon up the stairs, leaving Knuckles and I behind.

I guess I should do the same.

As I moved to get up from the couch and get rid of my soda can, that red echidna decided to speak up again.

"You shouldn't feel guilty for what Scourge has been doing. You were just a kid when he took over." He stated when I walked past him, apparently able to sense the guilt that I felt.

I didn't answer to his statement. I felt like he wasn't done talking yet.

"It's harder when they suddenly have a face, isn't it? All those victims from the slavemarket, they're just a number until you see a face and suddenly it makes it seem all the more real, doesn't it? Suddenly you associate all of the bad with just that one face." He said and, turning to face him just slightly, I saw him looking at me from over his shoulder.

Knuckles was my bodyguard and caretaker. Before Scourge took over, he had been a high-ranking officer within the Royal Guard. I'm sure he's seen some things by now.

"What are you trying to say?" I asked as this seemed a bit odd to be hearing from him. He was confusing me.

"That you shouldn't feel guilty because I can just see it on your face. And that you shouldn't get attached to him either. That's something you tend to do aswell." Knuckles finished and I could only huff before continuing on to the kitchen.

Just what was he trying to say? I know that we shouldn't trust strangers, but I think I can trust him. A slave who escaped, without a doubt he must be against Scourge's rule too.

Sure, there are four of us living here already, but we have a guest bedroom, we can have another mouth to feed. The more the merrier, right?

And I'm not thinking this way because he captured my attention.

After throwing my can of soda away, I made a quick visit to the bathroom to get ready for bed before retreating to my bedroom.

When I entered, I found Amy sitting on the side of my bed, looking down on the hedgehog who was still out cold under the covers.

That's right, I had to use the guest room for now. Embarrassingly enough, I almost forgot.

But I am wondering just what Amy is still doing here. And it looks like she's taken a bucket along with her.

"Amy, what's up?" I asked as I leant against the doorframe.

"He woke up for just a moment. He seemed a little delirious, but he did ask me for a bucket. His forehead feels like he's burning up, so I think the cold and the rain might've made him sick after all." The pink hedgehog responded, obviously concerned.

I walked further into the room and stood at the footend of the bed, looking down on him.

He was still knocked out and the only sign of life was how quickly his chest heaved as he panted. So he really did get ill.

I hope he gets better by the time morning arrives. If we have to call in a doctor, we might get in trouble.

If Vanilla is available, we won't have any problem. But if someone else has to come and catches wind of this hedgehog's status, well, that's an entirely different story.

Doctors, and any other form of authority, are forced to report slaves they believe are 'misplaced' as it's called. With them, people tend to speak as if they're referring to objects. We might lose him before we would even get the chance to get to know him.

Vanilla knew why we were here and supported us in any way she could, at least with her we could be certain that she won't blab about a possibly escaped slave.

"I think I'll keep an eye on him tonight. So you get your sleep, Sonic." Amy told me with a confident smile.

"Okay, but you get some sleep yourself too as soon as he's doing in the least bit better, 'kay?" I asked and she nodded.

So I gave the unconscious hedgehog occupying my bed one last glance before I left the room and made my way into the guest bedroom instead.

Settling on the guest bed, which was always made up should we ever get an unexpected visitor, I tried to get comfortable even with the unknown mobian occupying my thoughts.

Tomorrow we will see weither or not he'll pull through on his own.


	3. Chapter 3

**Adamant King, Indomitable Slave: Chapter 3**

 **Sonic's POV**

When I woke up the next morning, I was actually confused for a good few moments just why I was sleeping in someone else's bed. It wasn't until I sat up and scratched within my mess of quills as I looked around the room that I finally remembered what happened last night and who I found in that storm.

That slave, I wonder how he's doing now.

Getting up from the bed, I pulled a shirt on after I had thrown it on the floor to sleep in just my boxers the other night. I didn't feel like making the bed properly, so I just threw the covers open and left.

First knocking on my own bedroom door just to be sure, I peeked inside when I didn't hear a reply. Soon the door was flung open when an empty bed came into view.

That hedgehog was gone. Did he run away?!

I think it must be because of his presumed job as a slave and the fact that he was escaped that I felt so concerned and protective over him.

I had to find him, had to make sure he was okay. Since he was sick, he couldn't have gone very far.

By the time I was downstairs I had already pulled on my clothes from the day before, which was pretty much just pulling my jeans and shoes back on. I knew Knuckles was usually up with the sun, so I could definitely rely on him to help me look for the black and red hedgehog.

"Knuckles, where are you? That slave from yesterday-" Upon entering the kitchen to expect my echidna friend to be sitting there and taking a quick peek at a newspaper, I instead found Amy standing at the stove with a pan in front of her and the stranger I had been looking for sitting at the kitchen table with a near empty plate of breakfast in front of him.

He was looking at me, one eyebrow raised.

"Sonic, you're up! And don't worry, he's sitting right here. As for Knuckles, he's outside taking a look at the cornfields." Amy greeted me with a bright smile.

Suddenly I felt embarrassed. I had come bursting in shouting for Knuckles that our unconscious slave was gone in the room where that very slave was trying to enjoy his breakfast!

"Oh, and he said his name was Shadow! Shadow, this is my other housemate Sonic." The pink hedgehog introduced us to eachother. Apparently he and Knuckles must've already met.

Shadow, so that was his name.

He didn't give a response after being introduced to me. He just took his gaze off me and continued eating. Looks like he's a quiet one.

He looked better already, but he did have an arm wrapped around his abdomen. So he wasn't completely healed yet.

"Sonic, I've already had my breakfast, so I think I'll be getting a look outside and see if Knuckles needs any help. You can keep an eye on him, right?" Amy asked and didn't wait for a reply before she already left through the back door, leaving the two of us alone.

Suddenly this silence hung in the room as that hedgehog continued to eat while I grabbed whatever remained of the breakfast Amy had prepared in the frying pan.

I wanted to ask him so many questions, but didn't know where to even begin. And what if he wasn't up to it? I'd just be bringing back some awful memories for him, won't I?

But at the same time, I needed to know what his deal was.

Once seated at the table, I actually stared more at him than I ate or even questioned him. How do you even talk to someone like that?

It wasn't until he finished eating that our silence was broken.

"Thank you. For not leaving me out there in the rain." Shadow showed his gratitude, though that didn't seem entirely comfortable to him.

"Hey, no prob! Did Amy tell you?" I asked and a smile appeared on my muzzle. I was glad that he decided to start the conversation.

"No, she didn't. I actually still remember bits and pieces from last night before I passed out completely." He responded and leant back in his chair, both arms now wrapped around him.

"Ah, I get it. By the way, you ill? You've been hugging your stomach this whole time." I must've said something wrong because Shadow looked the other way when I asked him this question.

"Yes, that must be it." He answered almost in a whisper, like he wasn't sure.

As it became quiet again, I wondered if I should be blunt with my next question. I mean, I really, really want to be.

I think I will.

"So how did you end up here? And why?" I asked and waited for him to answer. Luckily, that seemed to come pretty quickly.

"Well, you helped me, so I think it's only fair to respond. I stowed away on a train. I got off somewhere while it was slowing down and just walked. It was purely by coincidence that I ended up here." It was a simple explanation and I bought it. Looks like he must have come from very far.

"But listen, if I'm troubling you, I can leave today. I just need some new clothes and considering the state I arrived in that shouldn't be much of a surprise." Shadow stated and I was ready to protest.

It turns out our guest wasn't as keen on staying here as I hoped him to be.

"Yeah, you are troubling us. We can give you some clothes, but after that you need to leave, pronto." Knuckles heard us talking as he entered the kitchen through the back door and promptly answered before I could even utter a word.

Suddenly Shadow's behaviour changed. His calm demeanor was no longer present as he glared at the crimson echidna who had just come walking into the room.

What was up with these two all of a sudden?

"Eh, wha? He doesn't need to leave! He can stay a couple of days if he needs to." I protested. I didn't get why Knuckles wanted Shadow gone already. What was the harm in having someone like him here? Slaves weren't known to be dangerous or anything like that. In fact, he could be of use around here!

"He's still sick, we can't let him leave in this kind of state. First he needs to get better and then we can decide weither or not he stays." It was rare to have a new face here. I'd rather keep him with us for at least a little while.

Both of the two other mobians in this room looked at me in surprise, one more than the other, but only one quickly composed himself.

"Sonic, I have no qualms about leaving. It's obvious I'll be a burden here." Shadow tried to convince me too that this was a bad idea, but I wasn't about to let this go.

Much like I was often impatient, being too stubborn for my own good was another nice quality of mine.

"Sonic, we don't know him. Letting him into our lives is a very bad idea." Knuckles didn't care that our guest was sitting right there. He just ran his mouth like he always did, causing Shadow to glare at him again.

Wait, what slave glares?

"What's going on here?" Amy had returned from whatever she was helping our echidna with and found herself to be dumbfounded by the sudden argument.

"Shadow is leaving." Knuckles stated like it was a fact, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

In an instant, shock and disappointment was written all over the pink hedgehog's facial features.

"What? No! Why can't he stay a little?" She asked, her ears flat against her head.

"Not you too!" The echidna sighed as Amy was just as opposed to have Shadow leave as I was.

Our guest was just at a loss for words. He didn't understand why there were two of us rooting to have him stay.

"I think I could stay. For a little." He said softly, like he wasn't exactly sure but was very persuaded by my and Amy's want to have him with us for at least a little longer.

Knuckles let out a lowly growl in frustration before he grabbed both me and Amy by the arm to drag us outside and out of earshot.

"Wow, Knux, what's up with you today? Yesterday evening you didn't really put up a fight and now you're all for throwing this guy out when he's clearly sick?" I shouted in a whisper and Amy seemed to agree with how angry she looked.

"If it means saving us, yes! You don't know what he's capable off! If he finds out who we are, he could hand us over to Scourge and we'd all be as good as dead!" Though I had been trying to stay soft, Knux didn't care much for weither Shadow could hear us or not.

"Than we'll tell him the truth! We don't need to kick him out immediatly!" I stood by my point. I'm not going to throw the guy out when he clearly needed us last night. But royal or not, that stubborn echidna had about enough of me.

Fortunatly, I wasn't alone in this. Amy was at least on my side with this.

"Knuckles, we can't let him go, he's been-"

"Excuse me."

Our argument came to a grinding halt when a fourth voice joined us and we all simultaneously looked up to see who it was.

It was Shadow, obviously, and boy was he looking green

"You don't happen to have a bathroom on this floor too, do you?" He asked, just barely able to keep it together.

"Uh, yeah, out in the hallway and to your right." I answered and then he quickly ran for it, one hand covering his mouth.

Somehow he did us a favour, 'cause his arrival caused things to quiet down a little.

"That was what I was trying to say, Shadow has been throwing up all morning. He woke up at 5am because of it! He needs a doctor, Knuckles, we can't send him off on his own like this. What kind of people would we be if we threw a sick person out when they don't even have a home of their own?" Somehow Amy was able to say exactly what Knuckles needed to hear.

With his hands clenched tightly into fists, the red mobian let out a frustrated grunt before walking back inside.

Holding the back door open, he looked back at us.

"Fine, he can stay. But as soon as he's better, he's out of here!" He stated and disappeared from sight.

Pinkie and I both breathed a sigh of relief.

Great, we finally have someone new with us. Now here's to hoping that he stays.

* * *

After our morning argument, our day could officially begin.

Turns out we didn't need to be worried after all. We lost some percentage of our corn, but not nearly enough to get us in trouble. So we could get on with our lives in peace.

I took care of most of the animals, Amy tended to the horses, Knuckles picked up whatever we needed from the nearby town, and our newest arrival stayed in bed because his illness was really bringing him down. And this time it was in the guest bedroom.

All in all a normal day, which I'm totally fine with.

Right now I was standing in the barn as Amy was brushing the mane of a chestnut brown horse. She's been doting on the animal lately because this particular mare was pregnant.

We didn't know when it happened, just that it did.

"I think I'll be heading into town tomorrow when he's feeling better." Amy stated, not once taking her eyes off that shiny pelt.

"You mean Shad? For what?" I asked, curious.

"Well, he can't wear the clothes he sleeps in all the time, can he? He escaped with no possessions to his name, so this way he can have the bare essentials at least." She replied and I could see her point.

Can't start a new life with nothing, can you?

I did chuckle, though. Amy loves to take every opportunity to go into town on a shoppingspree, be it for herself or otherwise.

"Let's just hope Shad gets to stay a little while. It's nice to have new someone over." I stated and Amy couldn't help but nod in agreement. She had been in need of a fresh face herself.

"Shad?"

When a third voice joined us and I jumped harder than I was willing to admit, I quickly turned to find Shadow suddenly up and about in the barn with us. I hadn't even heard him enter!

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow as if questioning me about that nickname.

"Hey, should you even be up yet?" I asked and tried to cover up that I had been so startled.

"I'm feeling much better. Now what was up with that nickname?" He asked in turn and placed his hands on his hips.

Didn't really look like he agreed with it.

"Just came up with it. You don't mind if I call you that, right?" I asked considerately.

"I do, actually." He was not at all amused when I asked him this question.

Geesh, he was very headstrong for a slave. He mustn't have been one for long. But hey, that's only and purely good news.

Freed or escaped slaves usually had a hard time adapting to normal life again, but for Shadow it just might be a breeze!

"Don't mind him, Shadow, he gives nicknames to everyone and everything." Amy giggled at the ebony's response and at the same time drew his attention.

As Shadow came to see what she was doing, he couldn't help but notice the mare's large belly.

"She's pregnant." He remarked almost in wonder, staring at the mare.

When he changed the subject to her, Amy couldn't possibly be happier.

"Yes, she is! She's due in just a few weeks. I can't wait!" She chirped happily, brushing her mane.

Shadow seemed thoughtful for a moment, one hand grasping the shirt in front of his abdomen for some strange reason.

"I've spend a lot of time in foster care and the last family who took me in owned a ranch, rightfully believing we'd like the space and animals. So while I don't know much about farming, I can tend to horses just fine, even foals." As if still touched by our insistence that he stays with us, if just until he was better, the ebony hedgehog revealed a small part of himself to convince us that he could be trusted, to convince Knuckles to maybe let him stay.

Amy gleamed in excitement.

"Really?! That's great! We can look after her together!" She squealed like the young girl she still was and left Shadow to wonder if it had been such a good idea to come clean out loud and in front of her.

I found my gaze glued to our guest as Amy talked endlessly to him and he had no other choice but to listen.

I probably cared more than I should've, but I can't help but wonder how he got from the foster system to slavery.

Shadow's past was one giant jigsaw puzzel of which we had none of the pieces. I wanted to solve it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Adamant King, Indomitable Slave: Chapter 4**

 **Sonic's POV**

An entire week passed after Shadow came stumbling through the woods with no clothes to his name.

Amy and I have already gotten used to having him around and even Knuckles seemed to be a bit cooler around him now. Still paranoid, but not as pissed off anymore.

But Shadow...

"Shad, maybe you should give it a rest?" I asked, placing a hand on his shoulder when he felt like throwing up again.

It was morning, close to lunch, and already the hot Summer sun of June was already high in the sky as we tried to cultivate the land. Shad was adamant in learning the ropes, still trying to earn his place here, but his sickness has yet to disappear.

We were all getting worried. Amy and I because he should've been better already and Knuckles because he feared Shadow needed to stay longer than he could take.

"No, I'm... I'm just halfway." He stated, hunched over and using the hoe for support. This was a relatively small field used only for our own vegetables, not at all big enough for the heavy machinery we used for our cornfields.

"Shad, you're literally about to throw up. I think it's best to-" Shadow pushed me to the side and hurried to these bushes at the nearby forest to lose his breakfast in. I couldn't help but cringe a little.

Once it sounded like he had calmed down a little, I approached him and rubbed his upper back.

"Shadow, maybe it's time we call a doctor." I suggested, but he shook his head quickly.

"No, no doctor." He panted, groaning softly.

That was always his answer and he didn't even give me a reason why. Honestly, I don't know why he's being this stubborn.

I couldn't let this go on, could I? I can't turn a blind eye to this. Would I let my subjects suffer like this?

No, I should make a stand and get him that visit weither he liked it or not. I wasn't going to just let this slide when he's been throwing up every morning and evening for an entire week already!

"Shadow, that wasn't a suggestion." I stated forcefully, causing said hedgehog to look up to me in shock for a moment or two before casting his gaze back downwards.

A barely audibly soft chuckle left his vocals.

"Is that an order, boss?" He asked almost tauntingly.

"Yes, it is." Though it was me Shadow was now seeking support with, I decided to keep pushing this on him.

I'm not even sure if that taunt was meant to be taken positive or negative considering his previous status. His brand was still very much visibly just under the pant leg of his shorts.

Shadow huffed.

"You almost sound like you're royal or something." I was surprised by that sudden tease. It was weirdly specific.

I would've responded, but then Shadow suddenly dove for the bushes again, unable to keep the rest of his breakfast down.

I wondered if there was any significant meaning behind that last taunt...

* * *

We all agreed to call in a doctor. Once again because Amy and I were worried and Knuckles because it would make Shadow leave sooner. Although, the hedgehog himself was still very much against the idea.

"Sonic, I don't need a doctor! I'll be fine in just a matter of days! Believe me!" We were all sitting around the dinner table when we broke the news to him.

Shadow was not happy.

"You've been throwing up all over the place and even worse you've been overstaying your welcome for days already. You will see that doctor and I will kick you out in a couple of days." Knuckles spoke as forceful as always, annoyed that our guest acted this way.

It's been a week, but I have yet to find out exactly what it was about those two to make them hate eachother so much. That stubborn echidna didn't like Shadow from the moment Amy introduced the two and the other wasn't exactly doing much to mend whatever kept them from seeing eye to eye.

"I'm sorry that my sickly state is an inconvenience to you, Knuckles, but I don't need a doctor." Shadow was just as stubborn as the three of us combined and I'm not sure that was something to be proud off.

The red echidna scoffed at the ebony's somewhat sarcastic response.

"Shadow, we're just worried for your health. You're not getting worse, but you're definitely not getting better either." Amy joined the conversation, both of her ears somewhat flat.

Shadow didn't know what else he could say to convince us that he would be just fine. Everything he ever tried had already been said before.

"Read my lips, I will be just fine. I'm grateful for your hospitality and the opportunity to distract myself, but I don't need a doctor." He seemed to be growing a bit desperate.

He did not need medical help in his oppinion. Well, unfortunatly for him, we already called one.

"That must be her." Amy stated when the bell of the front door suddenly rang and quickly answered to let our visitor in.

Shadow looked utterly shocked and was frozen in place as we heard Amy greeting someone in the background. When a rabbit came walking into the room followed by Amy, it sorta looked like he was frozen in place.

"Doctor Vanilla, we're all really glad you could come." I jumped up from my chair to offer my hand and greet her. Knuckles did the same, smiling as he welcomed her into our home, but our ebony guest stayed seated and kept on staring.

"We really are so grateful that you could come." Probably very relieved that he could kick Shadow out in a couple of days once he's looked at by Vanilla and taken care off, Knuckles shook her hand in both of his own. He's so happy that she could come so late during the day.

"Oh, don't be! I'll always be ready to help the three of you." Vanilla stated as she drew her hand back and smiled, holding her brown doctor's bag in front of her.

She had always been a kind woman, to us especially. She knew our secret and had vowed to keep it safe, supporting us instead of our current king. She was ready to come by and help whenever we were in need of her expertise and she's helped us through so much.

We are forever indebted to her for all of her help. I don't think we'll ever make it up to her.

There is one way we've been trying to, though.

When I do visit the town and see her outside of her job, I see her walking around with her young daugher of only six years old, Cream, at her side. So should Scourge ever find us here, the three of us agreed to leave any of Dr. Vanilla's inolvement out. That way both mother and daughter will be safe from his wrath.

"And this must be our patient." Vanilla's gaze fell on the ebony hedgehog who had not moved an inch from his spot. Even now he was still staring at her, speechless and unable to figure out what to do next.

"Shall we go upstairs to your bedroom, Dear? I know that patients such as yourself very much depend on their privacy." The female rabbit suggested kindly, but it took a while for Shadow to respond.

"Patients such as myself?" He repeated, wanting her to elaborate.

"Slaves who are recovering, Dear." She explained like he wanted her too, but Shadow didn't seem to appreciate it. Instead he shot me a glare, apparently angered that I told an outsider what status and life he ran away from. I didn't even know he wanted to keep it a secret.

Nah, now that I think about it, that actually makes more sense.

Shadow had been a little open with us, but only because he seemed to want to earn himself a place on this farm, far away from peering eyes. That privilege did not include doctors living in the nearby town.

But Vanilla wasn't a loved doctor for nothing.

She noticed Shadow's reluctance to speak or move with her keen eyes and so smiled at Knuckles, Amy, and I.

"I believe the sunset is very lovely this evening. So why don't the three of you check it out?" In her most subtlest way did she shoo us out of the house to give herself and Shadow all the privacy they could want, her kindest smile present on her muzzle.

Knuckles walked out through the back door without another word. The sooner we were out of the house, the quicker that appointment could be done. Amy followed reluctantly and so did I, shooting one last glance at Shadow before I left.

He had laid a hand on his lower belly and a worried expression appeard on his face.

What was that all about?

* * *

That appointment seemed to last a whole half an hour as the three of us just sat on the porch outside and looked up to the sky. The sun was almost gone and the cloudless sky had a dark purple hue, slowly turning into a dark blue.

"You think they're almost done in there?" I asked as I reeled my head back to look at the kitchen window. I couldn't see much from my position, but that was the only place where there was still light, so I guessed they haven't moved from their spot.

"Who cares so long as Vanilla gets the job done." Knuckles responded, sipping from the can of beer he had taken outside with him.

"I do wonder just what they are doing in there. It's taking quite a while." Amy stated and we all thought they were really taking their time in there.

I wonder what's up. I hope it's nothing bad.

And just as I wondered that Dr. Vanilla, as if on cue, opened the back door and looked down at us with a smile.

"You can come back in if you want to." She told us before walking back inside. She must've finally diagnosed Shadow.

Naturally all three of us came back in, but upon entering the kitchen, Shadow was nowhere to be seen.

"Your guest left for his room. I suggest you give him a little while and he will explain the rest." Vanilla informed us, which we found a bit strange.

Why couldn't she explain to us what was up?

"Vanilla, why won't you just tell us what's wrong with him?" Knuckles asked as he found it suspicious just how that had to be kept secret.

The rabbit wasn't sure if she should answer, but then decided to reveal a little bit.

"I didn't have to diagnose him. Shadow knew all along what was the matter with his body. He just needed some persuasion to come clean to the three of you too." As she said this, Knuckles couldn't help but grit his teeth, slightly pissed off.

"So all along he knew why he was sick? Than why the hell did he make us take the risk of bringing a doctor up here?" He asked, but we all knew only one person could answer that question.

"Knuckles, have an open mind, okay? It's a difficult secret that he needed to keep and I believe it was for a good reason." She replied and I guess we will have to see weither she's right or not.

Shadow has some explaining to do.

We waved Dr. Vanilla off after we paid her for the visit and told her a good night. And as she returned home to her daughter, I turned my attention to our other visitor. I know the doc said that he needed a little bit of time, but I felt like it was my duty to know the truth.

With Amy and Knuckles tidying up in the kitchen, I made my way up the stairs and soon found myself standing in front of the guest bedroom, knocking on the door. When I heard a muffled 'come in', I entered and saw Shadow sitting on the windowsill and looking outside, arms crossed and wrapped around himself.

Despites his dark fur, I noticed that his eyes were slightly bloodshot, like he had been crying during his doctor's appointment. Maybe that's why it had taken so long? Though, he doesn't really strike me as the emotional type.

"You okay? Dr. Vanilla told us it was up to you to tell us what was wrong." I said and closed the door behind me, giving the two of us some privacy.

Shadow didn't turn his head to face me, but his expression did tell me how sorrowful he seemed to be. He regretted letting me in.

"You know what I used to be just little over a week ago, don't you? A slave. And do you know just what someone as 'desirable' as me was forced to do? You know the kind of consequences something like that can cause?" He cast his gaze downwards, unable to look me in the eye.

I didn't respond to him. I stayed silent and gave him the time to search for the right words and courage to speak his mind. Though, I do have a feeling that I know where this was going, remembering what I had seen that night I found him.

"I'm sick because I've been suffering from morning sickness for the last couple of weeks now. I'm pregnant, Your Majesty." Standing up from his seat, Shadow turned to face me and awaited my reaction.


	5. Chapter 5

_That was kind a plot twist, wasn't it? ;D My story is a Sonadow one, but it isn't Sonic that shadz is preggers of! :D_

* * *

 **Adamant King, Indomitable Slave: Chapter 5**

 **Sonic's POV**

I stared at him in surprise. No, more like absolute shock.

So my ridiculous suspicion that he was pregnant turned out to be true? Was he a she all this time after all? Despites what his upper body told us?

That's... kind of what I saw that night before Amy covered him up. My eyes just kind of wandered, didn't mean to catch anything on purpose.

And even more important, did he just call me 'Your Majesty' again?

So he really knows? How could he possibly know?

"Say something already." Shadow demanded. This continued silence was killing him, he feared that he was going to get kicked out now.

"I... think you need to explain a thing or two... Sorry to offend you, but I thought you were a guy this whole time." I managed to say to at least break this quiet tension hanging in this room.

Shadow huffed and looked the other way.

"I am, I'm just..." He sighed. He wanted to explain it all to me, but didn't really know where to start.

"I'm part of that small percentage of people who was born as a herm instead of just one gender. My parents already had a son, so they wanted a girl this time. I had surgery when I was still a baby and then they just hoped that I would grow up as a girl. Clearly that wasn't the case." Shadow seemed increasingly more embarrassed the longer he continued, but he knew I needed to know.

So that's how he ended up being a guy who's more... feminine, I guess, down there.

"So... your kid?" My gaze traveled down to his lower abdomen, like I expected it to suddenly grow out of nowhere.

"Is my Master's. And it wasn't my..." Shadow stopped himself and I don't know why.

It wasn't his what? I wanted to know.

"He was some pervert, a wolf, I've been servicing for a couple of years, but he passed away and no one wanted to take me, so I was brought to a slavehouse. Once there I escaped and I ended up here." So he gave me a bit more of the story, but I know it's not the whole truth yet.

But while I had hoped Shadow's behaviour indicated that his time as a slave was short, I just might've been mistaken.

How long has it been?

"Shadow-"

"Four years. Four long, long, long years." He seemed to be breaking by just answering my questions and I was almost considering ending the conversation, or at least changing the subject.

"Don't send me away, Sonic. I don't know why you're here, but so far everthing tells me that you've been hiding for some reason and that is all I want to do too." Wait, hold up, he knows everything?!

"I want to give birth and raise it in a good, free environment like this where I won't have to worry of seeing another slavetrader again, where I can leave it behind in the hands of someone safe so I can search..." He stopped himself again, swallowing his words before he revealed too much again.

Search what? His thing he nearly mentioned just moments earlier? Obviously it's something important if it's so ready to roll of his tongue so easily.

But how much more important was that over the explanation of how he knows so much about us?

I'd ask either of those things, but suddenly the door slammed open with such force that there was a dent left in the wall where the door knob made impact.

It was Knuckles and he wasn't too happen.

"You... Who are you?!" He rushed forward and grabbed Shadow by the collar, pinning him against the nearest wall. His captive snarled viciously at the way the echidna treated him and for a moment I almost expected him to bite or something.

I couldn't let this continue, not after what I had just learned.

"Hey, Knuckles, he's pregnant! So don't-" I wanted to get in between the two, the other hedgehog didn't give me a chance to interfere.

Ripping the echidna's dangerous fists away from him, he placed one hand on his throat and hooked one leg around his before pushing forward and succesfully turning the tables. Out of nowhere Knuckles was the one pinned down on the floor.

Where had that suddenly come from?

"Didn't you listen to what that hedgehog has just said?! I'm with child, so hands off!" He growled, enraged that this echidna dared to harm him in his condition and after clearly eavesdropping on us.

Knuckles stared up at him, shocked that Shadow managed to pull of this move.

The ebony one sighed and stood up straight, laying a hand on his abdomen in full view of us now that he didn't need to hide his condition anymore. He frowned as he knew he probably shouldn't be pulling such rash moves.

Thankfully, things seemed to have calmed down a little.

"Guys, how about we go back downstairs, get some snacks, and talk about this? Knuckles, I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation as to why Shadow knows so much. Let's just give him a chance to explain." I suggested as the other got up from the floor, dusting himself off a bit.

Both wordlessly agreed with my idea.

* * *

Before long all four of us were sitting in the living room and Amy had been informed too. When she heard that our guest was expectant, she couldn't help but fuss over the baby.

"Oh, that's so adorable! Does that mean you're already past your first trimester?" She asked as she stared at the ebony's lower abdomen after he had lifted up his shirt on her demand.

His clothes hid it before, but if you paid enough attention you could actually see that there was a small bump.

Why hadn't I noticed that a week ago?

"Yes, I'm about three months far." Shadow stated, not sure if he should be happy with this positive attention.

"You know, if you had told us you were pregnant from the beginning, we wouldn't have let you work so hard." I told him, earning myself a glance.

"I told you why I wanted to stay here. So I'd rather earn that privilege." He answered and I guess he did tell me that just minutes earlier.

"And can you tell us why you know so much about us?" Knuckles had been watching the whole scene from his position in the armchair and he finally wanted the answers he's been dying to have.

Shadow released a sigh and took a seat on the other armchair, way opposite to Knuckles. Now that we were all seated, Shadow could explain everything.

"It's simple really. I knew who Sonic was because I've seen his face in photographs hung all over the palace. It's been eight years, but you're still more than recognisable with your blue fur. You're the near spitting image of your father." He was answering Knuckles' question, but quickly turned his gaze to me.

Amy gasped softly while Knuckles grew even more suspicious, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

"And how exactly did you get in the palace?" He asked, clenching his teeth.

At some point in our lives the palace was a home to all of us, but now anyone just claiming they've paid a visit to that place was put on Knux's personal blacklist.

But yeah, I kinda wonder that too.

Shadow was the slave of this wolf guy, right? How could he have gotten into the palace then?

There were no doubts that he was a slave. What nutjob would let the numbers '1503' be branded on his thigh just to play a role? But now there were just certain doubts about who his Master really was and who he was to Scourge.

"I'm..." For a moment Shadow didn't know what to respond. He looked like he just might hyperventilate, his eyes slightly widened as he looked down on his hands on his lap.

Was it that troubling to remember?

"Maybe that should be a story for some later date?" Amy suggested as she, too, noticed the affect remembering had on the darker hedgehog. I couldn't agree more.

"Shad, exactly how much do you know about what happened 8 years ago?" I asked, hoping that maybe Shadow would understand if we told him our side of the story.

"Just that there was a coup that killed King Jules, you went missing, and Scourge took the throne in your father's stead." Shadow shrugged as that was the story he was told in big lines.

I guess that was sort off the truth. With giant holes in the plot, though.

"How about we tell you what really happened? But you can't tell anyone about us. At all." I suggested as I still wanted him to stay with us.

I'm sorta bothered by the fact that he's already pregnant, like really disappointed, but I still wanted him near.

"Yes, I would like to know the truth, but you should know that I am loyal. In this entire week that I've stayed here, I've solely concentrated and earning my place here and have not told anyone about my suspicions concerning the three of you." He told us. Or me specifically as his gaze was centered on mine, even though Knuckles was the one who needed to be convinced the most. I mean, I was already sold the moment he got here.

His eyes are hard to look away from.

"Fine, we'll tell you. And in return we expect you to return the favour." Knuckles' eyes narrowed, hoping that either one of two things would happen.

Either he tell the story and Shadow will stay shut about his own background, causing Knux to have reason to be suspicious of him. Or he tells us what happened to him and earn the echidna's trust, making it easier for him to be accepted by the crimson mobian.

Shadow nodded, his lips pressed together as he looked at him with a hidden expression of anxiety at what was to come.


	6. Chapter 6

**Adamant King, Indomitable Slave: Chapter 6**

 **Sonic's POV**

Eight years ago, I think I had just turned 14 years old at the time. No, I'm sure of it because it was just a couple of weeks after my birthday when it happened, that coup Shadow was talking about.

Everything had started out normal enough that day.

I was awoken in the morning, not by a maid like other kids of my status, but by my mom who sat down on the, pretty large, bed next to me and placed a kiss on my forehead as she softly shook me awake, like every morning. She coaxed me to wake up and I'd see her smile down on me when my eyes did open.

Though I was already a teen, she never failed to coddle me as if I were still a small child.

"Mom." I had groaned and rolled onto my other side, hoping that this would stop her from getting me out of the warm comforting heaven that was my bed.

Her smile stayed as her patience is very much eternal. I don't think I've ever seen her really angry before.

"Get up, Sonic, it's going to be another busy day today." She said, coaxing me to wake up like the gentle person she was.

"But I don't want to! And I'm not a kid anymore, you can't just wake me up! What if Scourge sees you?!" I asked, shooting up in bed to frown at mom as deep as I'm sure every teenager my age would.

One of her eyebrows raised as she gazed at me, still smiling, but now a little more sympathetic.

"Has he been bugging you again?" She asked and I shook my head.

"Wha? Of course not! I'm too cool to be bothered!" I stated, but she saw right through it.

"You're brother may be twenty now, but sometimes it does like look he has yet to grow up." She sighed, thinking of her eldest son.

Scourge was the heir and she hoped that he would've grown up a little by now.

"Sonic, get up. Your teacher is waiting for you in your father's study." Mom told me to get out of bed one last time before she left my room, glancing back at me for a moment with a smile, and this time I decided to follow through.

* * *

Pretty much the whole day was just teaching for me. Just like my dad and uncle Chuck before me, I was mainly homeschooled at the time. And Scourge too. You could almost call it a tradition by now. No kindergarten, elementary school, or high school for me.

I never understood why I never went to a rich private school like other kids in my position or of my age and I don't exactly have the chance to ask now. It was probably the reason why there were just the three of us until Shadow showed up.

From math to chemistry, my teachers had been paid and provided with the stuff necessary to teach all of those subjects. I wasn't a nerd, though I certainly wish I could be that smart, but my grades weren't all that bad either.

I barely saw anyone but my mentors on days like this, school days. Dad was busy ruling the country, Scourge was sticking to his side because it was important for him to learn how to reign in order to be a good king, so it was only my mom who popped into the study a couple of times to see how I was doing.

Though I loved both of my parents equally, I did always have a better bond with my mom. Dad spend most of his time with Scourge even when I was younger just because he was the heir and needed to be prepared for when he did finally take the throne.

I never blamed him for that. I may have acted a bit childish back then, but now I understood that the fate of his entire kingdom and subjects had to come over his own family. That just was the sacrifice a ruler like him had to make.

Anyway, I followed my classes like I should, as we all had our duties to fullfil.

Well, I mostly did.

"Aren't you supposed to be in class, prince?" A voice asked and I looked up to see the Commander of the royal army, Knuckles himself standing behind me all of a sudden. With his position, he did often hang out at my place here. Mostly in case my dad wanted to talk to him.

He had just caught me skipping out on class and trying to eavesdrop on one of dad's meetings with his advisors and he wasn't too happy about that.

I just wanted to see what one of those gatherings were like and what they'd be talking about. They had been discussing about funding just now, for a prison to be specific. At that time, I found it all boring and couldn't help but wonder just why they didn't talk about something a little more interesting.

"Uhm... No?" Was the single response I could come up with, knowing that Knuckles had caught me. He huffed at the answer I gave him.

"If you're skipping out again then I will have no choice but to tell your mother." His huff was followed by something that I could only perceive as a threat at that age and I even glared at him as he said that.

"You can't tell mom, she'll get angry!" I protested a little louder than I would've wanted and the people I had been eavesdropping on heard me.

It had suddenly grown quiet in there and barely a moment later the door suddenly opened to reveal Scourge looking down on me, a frown on his muzzle and one eyebrow raised.

"What're you doing here, punk?" He had asked me, not at all acknowledging the Commander standing right next to me.

Glaring was something that I often did at that age, I'm almost like a different person now. But I glared up to the green hedgehog as I didn't bother answering to that question.

We never really got along well.

Though his very presence was ignored and I hadn't exactly been on my best behaviour today either, Knuckles decided to speak up.

"He was on his way to meet with his teacher, prince Scourge. You don't need to concern yourself with him." He stated, acting like he was taking me to my father's study.

Of course, Scourge didn't buy it, but he decided to 'play along' for now.

"How can't I worry for him? He's my little brother! Though there's no way he'll ever become king, he needs to know how to read and write, doesn't he?" They were minor jabs at me being an idiot, what brother didn't occasionally bully his younger sibling, right? But 14 year old me had felt greatly insulted by that.

Knuckles' frown deepened too, but decided not to speak about that.

"We should go, prince Sonic. Your teacher is waiting." He instead said and walked away, expecting me to follow and end this less than pleasant conversation with my brother.

Following him was exactly what I wanted to do, but unfortunately, Scourge thought differently as he suddenly grabbed my arm and stopped me in my tracks.

"What do you want?" I snapped at him like the edgy teen that I was back in the day.

Scourge had looked down on me, a near unreadable, but still ominous, expression visible on his face. It gave me the chills.

"You probably shouldn't leave your room tonight. I'm gonna have some friends over and it's gonna be loud. So be a good boy and don't come out, 'kay?" He told me in a tone that was anything but kind.

At the time I didn't know what he meant. How could a 14 year old have ever foreseen what was going to happen that same evening?

I just watched Scourge returning to the meeting. As the door opened I noticed my dad sending me an angry look as he, unlike mom, had a bit of a temper and did not appreciate having his discussion with his advisors and councel disturbed by his youngest son.

Once both were out of sight, I decided to follow Knuckles to wherever my mentor may be.

* * *

With the strange encounter in the back of my mind, I returned to my teacher, who waited for me as he had tea with my mother in the salon.

My teacher that time, I had several for different classes, was a light brown fox in his forties by the name of Amadeus Prower. And he had a cool eyepatch that I found awesome back then.

He taught me how to handle a sword as dad always thought that, as prince, it was only right I learned this art too. Of course, it's been eight years now, so I doubt I can remember any of those moves.

Amadeus was very forgiving towards my attitude. After thanking my mother for her time, he lead me to our private gym where he'd teach me the traditional ways of the sword.

My mind was elsewhere at the time, though, so I couldn't concentrate on my studies. A swing, a parry, I can't remember what it was he taught me.

Afterwards I spend my time outside in the palace gardens near the fountains. I had already outgrown the want to play and explore, so I sat on the decorative stone bench and contemplated exactly what Scourge could've meant.

I don't know why exactly his words bothered me as much as they did. I just knew I had this bad feeling about them, like I needed to watch out or something.

Of course, at the time, there was only one conclusion I could come up with.

"Who can he hang out with? He has no friends!" I stated to the person sitting next to me as I kicked a pebble away.

That person was the pink hedgehog I know as Amy.

She was only 10 years old at the time and was only present at the palace because her parents worked for mine. During weekends and holidays, our personnel brought their children along on my mother's insistence. Because Scourge and I were homeschooled, this was her way of getting us some time with kids of the same age as us.

And it would've worked too hadn't it been for the fact that my status as prince often scared them away. It was why I had such a close friendship with just Amy and no one else, because she didn't let that scare her away. Later on that want for contact and more would be one of the reasons why I was so stubborn about letting Shadow stay despites the risks.

"That's a mean thing to say." I heard Amy state as she frowned back at me. She didn't really get what I was so upset about.

"If Scourge has friends over, he'll leave you alone, won't he? So what's the problem?" She asked and watched me get up and kick some more of the pebbles that made up the path running throughout the whole garden.

Well, couldn't really argue with that, can I?

"I guess you're right, but why do I feel so bad about it? It doesn't make sense!" I answered and crossed my arms in front of my chest, ears bent backwards.

It bothered me so much and I don't understand why. Maybe because Scourge has always been a creep?

Suddenly Amy grabbed my arm and made me sit back down on the bench next to her again and she wasn't gonna be about to let me go just yet.

"You're brother has always been a bully to you, hasn't he? Why not just be happy that he'll leave you alone tonight?" She asked, already a little mature for her age from every now and then.

I had looked at the 10 year old for a moment and sighed.

"I guess so." I admitted and hoped she was right.

I should just enjoy my time away from him. That's what I should do.


	7. Chapter 7

_Warning: contains blood and character death._

* * *

 **Adamant King, Indomitable Slave: Chapter 7**

 **Sonic's POV**

"Sonic... Sonic, wake up!" That same night, it was my mother's voice who woke me up that evening, just minutes away from midnight.

She wasn't her usual kind and gentle self. She was even in a haste to rouse me from my sleep. Grabbing my shoulders, mom even shook me to try and get me to wake up faster and with a groan did I reply.

"Uh? Mom? It's way too early." I had groaned and tried to roll onto my other side.

With my mind still clouded by sleep, I failed at noticing her state of panic until she grabbed my shoulders and shook me awake again, only this time with more force.

As I sat up and watched her quickly grab the bare essentials from my cupboard and wardrobe to stuff them messily in a suitcase. It was then that I realised something was wrong. In an instant I was alert and worried, I got up from the warmth of my bed to see what was up with her.

"Mom, what's wrong?" I had asked. She was in a complete frenzie as she tried to zip the suitcase closed. She didn't even answer my question at first. Not until her equally green eyes met mine.

Once again her hands settled on my shoulders, only to push me down on the bed to sit next to her. Mom took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Sonic, you have to listen to me." She started with a shaky tone I wasn't used to hear from her.

"Your father thinks someone may be trying to steal the throne from him. He doesn't know who, but we do know that some of our guards have been 'taken care off'." Mom told me, staying incredibly vague about how dire the situation could be.

"Wha-what do we do?!" I didn't really get what was happening, just that it was bad.

Who would try to steal dad's throne? I always thought our people were happy! Not one possible culprit came to my mind. This entire predicament just seemed unreal, like some tasteless practical joke someone was pulling.

"We need to grab our things and go. Knuckles is waiting for us out in the corridor." Mom answered to my question, as she stood up from the bed to grab my suitcase and hand it to me.

I stared at the fancy thing with golden lining. I hoped she had packed hers aswell.

"Knuckles is going to take us to a safehouse. We'll be safe there and we'll wait for good news." She tried so hard to stay calm, to keep her level head and not let her panic get to her as she instinctively grabbed my wrist to pull me along and out of this room, not even giving me the time I needed to pull on some shoes.

Leaving the bedroom, our gazes fell on the red echidna, who wasn't wearing his uniform either as he was supposed to be at home with his wife. He had obviously come here in a hurry, but had still taking his two holsters with him, one on which laid a hand for reassurance.

"Your Highness, young prince, we need to hurry." Knuckles stated as we drew his attention. Knux didn't often smile even back then, but I've never seen him this angry before either.

That glare, it oozed the contempt he felt for this attack.

"I know we do, but I can't leave without Scourge!" Heh, I hadn't even noticed he was missing.

"Your Highness, I'll-" Knuckles probably wanted to suggest he go get Scourge, but mom didn't let him finish.

"No, I'll go! You have to make sure my little boy stays safe. Go to the hidden tunnel in the servants quarters and leave the grounds. I'll meet you at the end when I've found Scourge." Mom interrupted him, taking the task of finding her eldest son on her shoulders because she was his mother, though it was probably safer to go together.

"Queen Aleena!" The echidna tried calling out to her as she ran down the hallway, her light nightgown floating behind her, but she did not listen.

"Make sure Sonic is safe! I'll be right there!" Briefly she glanced back at us to shout that one last order and then she disappeared around the corner. She was adamant in finding her son herself.

I wondered if I should've followed her.

"Come on, Prince Sonic, we're leaving." Knuckles didn't think twice about it as he started walking with a heavy hand on my shoulder to drag me along with him, squeezing tight to make sure I knew that I wasn't gonna go chase after my mother.

"Are we leaving her?! We can't go without mom!" I stubbornly tried to protest, but it was useless.

Dude didn't even look at me, so all attempts at protest would be in vain, no matter what I tried.

And so he dragged me towards the servants quarters, where a tunnel was hidden away. Once they were used by servants for whatever reason, I didn't really pay much attention to the history of my own home, but now they were mainly used as emergency exists. For emergencies such as this.

But in order to reach the servants quarters from my room, we had to pass the throne room. After descending a good long flight of stairs, that is exactly what we passed.

When we did, I caught a glimpse of my father through a crack in the door. Ripping myself away from my current guardian, I quickly approached the door, just wanting to see if dad could come along.

But what I saw inside...

"What's the meaning of this, Mephiles? Why have some of my men turned rogue?!" My father, Jules, asked, unable to move from his seat because the hedgehog in question was aiming a gun at him in his left hand.

My heart skipped a beat in fright, terror made its way on my features.

Mephiles wasn't a name that was unfamiliar to me. I knew he was also an officer in the king's army, heard Knuckles complain about him under his breath occasionally, knew he had a bad rep, but had never seen his face before.

That must be him. That black hedgehog with the greyish, blueish streaks in his upturned quills, a venomous kind of green in his cold eyes. He was the one pointing a gun at my dad.

And at mom.

"Mo-" As if able to read my thoughts, Knux quickly covered my mouth before I could make too much noise. He, too, was watching the events unfold.

But just what was she doing here? Wasn't she supposed to be searching for Scourge? How did she end up in that mess?

"Mephiles, if you're going to kill us, you can at the very least answer our questions." Dad continued to speak despites the other hedgehog's silence, one of his hands held onto my mother's, as if he needed the reassurance that she was still there.

"I apologize, Your Majesty, but I'm not the one who needs to answer." Mephiles spoke with a deep voice, his aim not waivering even as his gaze left my parents to settle on someone entirely different instead.

It was then that I noticed Scourge was in the room too.

A smirk slowly made its way onto his muzzle.

"Son?" Dad's attention moved to my brother, his tone of voice betrayed his confusion.

He was nonchalantly holding the blade he's been taught how to use for so long to keep the tradition going. His eyes were admiring the way the blade shone in the light.

Scourge has always rubbed me the wrong way ever since I can remember. Now that feeling had grown tenfold.

"I'm so sick of it." He started with a deep sigh, refusing to give my father the dignity of looking him in the eye.

But when he did, it was with a look of unbridled anger.

"We do everything to keep the people happy. We lower the taxes, hold 'democratic' votes when it's monarchy who's supposed to be in charge. And when some minority doesn't agree, then you listen to their 'problems' instead of dealing with them like the ungrateful pests they are!" An angered growl accompanied the look he was giving our dad.

"At this rate or royal family is nothing more than a pack of dogs, groveling for their masters in the hopes of getting some scraps for dinner when really the people should be idolising us!" His voice had grown louder as he shouted, his quills bristling.

This time dad returned the look of anger. And as he stood up, mom holding onto his hand for a moment longer in worry and giving out a soft 'but Dear', he approached Scourge with a glare.

"You spoiled child, is that really what you think? As the royal family of this kingdom, it's our duty to keep our subjects happy. A king is nothing without its people." He protested, like a parent scolding a stubborn kid.

"Spoiled?!"

Stating something like that, it had only made Scourge angrier and still dad didn't shut it.

"If you can't understand that, than I'm afraid the responsibility of the throne shouldn't fall to you. At least now I know your brother will be a better heir than you. I should've known all along, my advisors had been correct about you. I'm just sorry it took a coup to see it that way." My father stated his disappointment in my brother and looking back to it eight years later, I'm not sure that was such a bright idea.

Scourge was not going to stand for this. His temper got the better of him and with sword in hand did he plunge the blade into our dad's abdomen, much to his horror, and with the other one he held onto his shoulder to keep him from pulling away.

A look of terror flashed onto my dad's face, his eyes were filled with disbelieve as he looked up to his eldest son to see a smirk appear in glee. This was an adrenaline rush for him, you could just see how much the green hedgehog was enjoying it.

Now as I'm remembering this, I could clearly see the last question that ever popped up in his mind.

How could he have ever let Scourge be the heir?

Said hedgehog watched the life drain from our father's eyes and pushed him off of his sword to slump down on the floor in a limp mess. With the crimson-stained sword now no longer lodged inside, blood was left to pool beneath him and king Jules let out his final breath.

He died because of a lack of caution, because he hadn't believed the son he helped teach how to fight would ever have the guts to do this.

We were all left frozen in shock. Mom sat immovable on the throne, unable to look away with wide eyes filled with horror while also feeling her last dinner make its way back up.

I felt like my feet were nailed to the ground, my gaze glued stuck in the unmoving figure of my father, my heart shattering.

It was a feeling I don't think I can ever really describe. My chest constricted and I felt pain, yet at the same time I was numb. My mind ran wild with questions and still it was like not a single coherent thought passed through. Time was slowing down, but at the same time it was all over in the blink of an eye.

When exactly it happened, I don't know, but I had left the hiding spot the door had provided for me and Knuckles. Like I wanted to approach the fallen figure until the Commander and temporary guardian stopped me.

As Scourge caught sight of me, he didn't look scared or shocked too. He just looked annoyed to see me present out of nowhere.

How can someone look annoyed by this? What was wrong with him?!

Knuckles was the only one of us three who could still move. He grabbed my hand and ran. While Scourge barked at the traitors to give chase, to kill Knuckles, and bring me back alive, the two of us fled the palace.

Reaching the servant quarters to search for the hidden tunnel, we had come across Amy, who had lost sight of her parents in the skirmish and having only just woken up aswell, and Knux couldn't possible let a young hoglet of only 10 run around all alone in there. So we took her along aswell.


End file.
